Methods for cleaning looms



April 22, 1969 Filed April 28, 1966 I of Sheet 45 Fiy. 3 28 INVENTOR.

Hamlin Jd sph Gleocton ATTORNEYS April 22, 1969 H. .1. GLEATON METHODS FOR CLEANING LOOMS Sheet Fi led April 28. I966 INVENTOR. Hamlin Jos eph Gleaton fvam/o lalm/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice 3,440,097 METHODS FOR CLEANING LGOMS Hamlin J. Gleaton, Greenville, S.C., assignor to Eaton Yale & Towne Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 546,068 Int. Cl. B08b /00 US. Cl. 13437 4 Claims This invention relates generally to the art of cleaning, and more specifically to new methods for removing lint from looms and the like.

Various types of apparatus have been used in the past for removing lint from looms. A typical apparatus of the prior art was comprised of a crane which extended over and was movable along a plurality of rows of looms. A loom cleaner unit including an air blower was mounted on the crane bridges for movement transversely of the rows of looms between the ends of the crane. In operation the loom cleaner unit was sequentially indexed along the crane bridges to bring the unit over each row of looms and the crane was propelled along the runway to clean the looms in each row. This operation of running the crane back and forth on its runway and periodically indexing the loom cleaner unit on the crane to position the unit over each row of looms resulted in each of the several rows being cleaned.

In recent years new types of looms, such as the shuttleless loom, have been made available together with associated devices, such as automatic filling batteries and the like. These new looms and associated devices require a delicate but thorough cleaning operation. In carrying out the cleaning operation, certain areas of any loom may require a higher velocity and a higher volume air than another area of the same loom. The apparatus of the prior art described above was not adapted to perform a completely satisfactory operation and could frequently cause damage to the loom areas over which the cleaner unit was moved.

In a typical arrangement of a weave room, the looms in adjacent rows are disposed back-to-back and front-tofront. The purpose of this arrangement is to facilitate removal or replacement of the warp beams and cloth rolls in the looms of adjacent rows. For example, it is desirable to provide a relatively wide aisle extending along the backs of the looms in adjacent rows in order to facilitate handling of the warp beams from the looms of those rows. When sequentially cleaning the several rows of looms with the conventional apparatus described above, an air blower of the cleaner unit was moved over the backs of the looms in one row and then over the fronts of the oppositely placed looms in an adjacent row. This movement of the same air blower over different relative loom areas is unsatisfactory when the loom areas require different volumes and velocities of air for the most effective cleaning operation. This is because an air blower adjusted to provide the high velocities and volumes of air desired for certain areas of the looms can often cause damage when moved over different relative loom areas.

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantage pointed out above in connection with the conventional apparatus and to provide a new loom cleaning method which obtains a more satisfactory cleaning operation than in the past. In particular, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a new method and cleaning apparatus in which the individual air nozzles of the cleaner unit are always moved over the same relative areas of the looms in each of a plurality of rows. The volume and velocity of the air discharged from selected nozzles can be differently adjusted to obtain a delicate and thorough cleaning of specified areas of a loom. Since the nozzles always move over the same relative areas of 3,440,097 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 the looms, it is possible to generate the volumes and velocities of air required satisfactorily to clean each specific area of a loom Without fear of damaging areas of the looms in a new row when the unit is indexed on the crane.

The method of the present invention in its preferred embodiment employs an apparatus comprised of a crane movable on a runway over and along a plurality of rows of looms. At least one carriage is movable on the crane bridges and is adapted sequentially to be indexed into alignment with several of the rows of looms. The carriage is provided with a blower unit which may include two or more sets of air blowers. Two sets of blowers are spaced from each other as to be moved through parallel zones of travel when the crane is propelled along its runway. The blower unit is selectively rotatable on the carriage in order to reverse the relative locations of the travel zones of the sets of blowers.

One set of blowers may be adjusted to obtain the desired volumes and velocities of air necessary to clean one specific area of the loom, for example, the front of the loom. Another set of blowers may be adjusted to clean the backs of the looms. When the carriage is indexed on the crane between two rows of looms oriented in opposite directions, the blower unit is rotated in order to maintain the correct relationship of the sets of blowers to the fronts and backs of the looms in the new row.

Other advantages and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view showing the loom cleaning apparatus of this invention disposed in operative position over a plurality of rows of looms;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in operative position over a loom;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, top plan view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5; and

FIGURE 9 is a schematic plan view illustrating the control arrangement and one possible manner of operating a preferred embodiment of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 2 in particular, there is shown a typical loom 10. The loom 10 may be of any type and, for purposes of disclosing the present invention, is illustrated as including a cloth roll 11 and a breast roll 12 mounted at the front A of the machine, a warp beam 13 mounted at the back B of the machine, and a suitable filling supply 14. The warp yarns 15 extend from the warp beam 13 through the drop wires 16 and the heddles (not shown) of the loom to the cloth roll 11. The arches of the looms are designated by reference numeral 17 in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 1 shows a portion or bay of a weave room in which the looms are arranged in a plurality of rows 2023. It will be seen that the looms in rows 20, 21 are positioned so that the front portions A are adjacent to each other and that the looms in rows 20, 23 are similarly positioned. Thus arranged, the backs B of the looms in adjacent rows 21, 22 are separated by a relatively wide warp aisle, while the backs of the looms in rows 20, 23 are respectively at the left and right sides of those rows. It will be understood that in a weave room there may be many rows of looms arranged as shown in FIG. 1 so that the backs of the looms in adjacent rows are separated by the wide aisles. As previously mentioned, this arrangement of the looms is frequently used because it facilitates the handling of the loaded warp beams 13 to the several rows of loom-s by a crane hoist or other means. The width of the aisles between the rows of looms is not limiting of the invention, however, and in some arrangements the weavers aisles between the fronts of the looms may be wider than the warp aisles.

The loom cleaning apparatus of this invention is generally designated in FIG. 1 by reference numeral 25. The apparatus is comprised of an overhead crane 26 which extends across the several rows 20-23 of the looms. The crane 26 is mounted for travel lengthwise of the rows on a runway formed by rails 27. The rails 27 can be supported in any suitable manner, such as by hangers (not shown) which depend from overhead beams (also not shown) of the weave room', by columns of the Weave room, or by the floor or the like.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the crane 26 is comprised of side beams or bridges 28 and end trucks 29 which are connected to the ends of the bridges. The end trucks 29 are suspended below the rails 27 by trolleys 30 which include wheels running on the lower flanges of the runway rails 27. A reversible drive motor 31 is carried on top of the crane 26 and is connected by a chain 32 to a sprocket on a crane drive shaft 33. Traction wheels 34 are connected to the ends of the drive shaft 33 in engagement with the undersurfaces of the rails 27. Actuation of the reversible motor 31 serves to rotate the drive shaft 33 and thereby propel the crane 26 from one end of the crane runway to the other over the looms 10.

As is conventional, electrical energy for the crane motor 31 and other elements described below may be provided by bus bars (not shown) carried by the rails 27 or by wires supported from the pillars (not shown) of the weave room. Collectors, such as wheels or shoes engaging the wires or bus bars may be used to collect current for conduction to a switch box on the crane, whence conductors carry current to the motor. In operation, it will be understood that the crane 26 can be moved from any position on the runway to another position where the crane is stopped and its direction of movement reversed. It will also be understood that more than one crane provided with the cleaning equipment hereinafter described can be mounted on a runway.

The apparatus 25 also includes at least one carriage mounted on the crane 26 for movement between its ends across the several rows 20-23 of looms. Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 7, the carriage 40 is shown to comprise spaced side channels 41 which are connected at their ends to transversely extending frame members 42. The carriage 40 is suspended from the crane bridges 28 by trolleys 43 carried by the end members 42. The trolleys 43 have pairs of wheels 44 running on the upper surfaces of the lower flanges of the two bridges 28. In order to actuate the carriage 40 longitudinally of the crane 26, a reversible drive motor 45 is mounted on one of the channels 41. The motor 45 drives a spur gear 46 which meshes with a rack 47 that is secured to and extends along one of the crane bridges 28. With this arrangement, actuation of the motor 45 serves to rotate the rack gear 46 and thereby move the carriage 40 along the crane 26 to a selected position above one of the rows of looms 10. The motor 45 is then de-energized and the crane motor 31 is actuated to propel the crane in one direction along the runway.

A rotatable air blower unit 50 is mounted on the carriage 40 for the purpose of directing air streams onto the row of looms below the carriage as the crane moves along its runway. The blower unit comprises a plate 51 which is suspended below the carriage by a rotatable shaft 52. A pair of spaced parallel beams 53 is secured across the side channels 41 of the carriage 40. The shaft 52 extends upwardly between the beams 53 through flanged bearing blocks 54 which are secured to the upper and lower surfaces of the beams 53. A sleeve 55 is disposed around the shaft 52 above the upper bearing block 54 and the rotatable shaft is held in place by a nut 56. The lower end of the shaft 52 is secured to a plate 57 which is in turn connected by braces 58 to the plate 51.

Two motors 63 are fastened to the ends of the plate 51. Each of the motors 63 is disposed between a pair of centrifugal blowers 64 which are operatively connected to the ends of the motor drive shaft 65. As is best shown in FIG. 7, each blower 64 includes a fan 66 mounted on an end of a motor shaft 65 and a fan housing 67 around the fan. Each fan housing 67 has a tangential outlet or nozzle 68 (FIG. 5) which may be fitted with an extension 69 of any desired cross-sectional shape and length for concentrating the outgoing air stream onto a portion of a loom.

The fan housings 67 are connected to the motors 63 in a convention manner to provide for varying the direction of the outgoing air streams and for oscillating the fan housings. A ring is attached, as by screws 76, to each end of each of the motors 63. Each ring 75 supports the inner race 77 of a roller bearing. A plurality of U- shaped clips 78 (only one of which is shown) are positioned about the outer race 79 of the roller bearing with one leg of each clip bearing against the end of the outer race adjacent to the motor and with the other leg of the clip resting on the outer cylindrical surface of the outer race 79. A ring 80 bears against the end of the outer race 79 opposite to the motor and is secured to the housing 67 by screws 81. The clips 78, the outer bearing race 79 and the ring 80 are held assembled by screws 82 which extend through both legs of the clip and into the ring.

Some or all of the several fan housings 67 may be oscillated during operation of the fans 66. To accomplish this, a ring 84 having a crank arm 85 is clamped between the clips 78 and the ring 80 associated with each housing. An oscillating motor 86 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is secured to the underside of the plate 57 and the output shaft of the motor 86 is connected by a belt and pulley drive 87 to a shaft 88. The shaft 88 is journaled in bearings 89 which are secured to the plate 51. A pair of rods 91 are rotatably mounted on cranks 90 at each end of the shaft 88. The rods 91 extend in opposite directions from the ends of the shaft 88 and the remote ends of the rods are suitably pinned to the crank arms 85 associated with the blowers 64. It will be understood that actuation of the motor 86 serves to rotate the shaft 88 and reciprocate the push rods 91 with resultant oscillation of the fan housings 67 through limited angular distances.

The positions of the nozzles or outlets 68 of the fan housings 67, as well as the degree of oscillation of the fan housings can be selectively changed by loosening the screws 82 and relatively rotating the rings 80, 84. As shown in FIG. 8, each of the rods 91 may include a threaded portion 91a and a ball rod end 91b. The threaded rod portion 91a projects into the rod end 91b and a nut 92 is adjustable on the portion 91a to regulate the length of the rod 91 to the position of the associated ring 84.

The action of the oscillating blowers 64 is indicated in FIG. 2. For convenience in description, the set of blowers of the unit 50 which pass over the front A of the illustrated loom are designated by reference numeral 64a (only one of which is shown), while the set of blowers which pass over the back B of the loom are designated by reference numeral 64b (only one of which is shown). The positions and oscillation of the blowers 64 are adjusted in the manner described above so that the nozzle extensions 69 move between the extreme positions shown in broken lines. The streams of air from the blowers 64a, for example, may move from above the cloth roll 11 in one extreme position of oscillation nearly to the drop wires 16 in the other extreme position. Similarly,

the blowers 64b may be adjusted so that the emitted streams of air travel from above the warp beam 13 nearly to the drop wires. As generally described above, the looms must be delicately cleaned and certain areas of each loom may require higher velocities and volumes of air than other areas. Accordingly, the volume of air generated by the sets of blowers 64a, 64b, the amount of oscillation of each set of blowers and the size of the nozzle extensions 69 are adjusted to obtain a satisfactory cleaning action over a selected loom area.

In some installations it may be desirable to oscillate only selected blowers 64 and to fix the other blowers against movement. For example, one blower in each set 64a and 64b may be oscillated in the manner described and the other blower in each set may be stationary. In such an instance, each stationary blower may be provided with a boot, such as shown in broken lines at 69a in FIG. 2, having fixed outlets oriented to clean specific areas.

When the carriage 40 is periodically indexed along the crane 26 to position the blower unit 50 to travel over a new row of looms 10, it may be necessary to rotate the blower unit 50 in order to maintain the blowers 64a over the fronts of the looms and the blowers 6411 over the backs of the looms. To this end, a reversible gear motor 100 is mounted on a plate 101 (FIG. 4) which extends between the side channels 41 of the carriage 40. The motor 100 drives a shaft 102 on which is mounted a small sprocket 103. The sprocket 103 is connected by a chain 104 to a large sprocket 105 connected to the shaft 52. Selective actuation of the motor 100 serves to rotate the shaft 52 of the blower unit 50 through approximately 180 and thereby reverse the positions of the sets of blowers 64a and 64b.

The operation of the apparatus 25, including the reversing crane travel, the indexing movement of the carriage 40 on the crane 26, and the rotation of the blower unit 50 is preferably automatically controlled. Referring to the control arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9, a pair of limit switches 110- and 111 are shown mounted at one end of the crane 26. The limit switch 110 has a rotatable fork arm comprised of arms 110a and 11%. The limit switch 111 has a similar fork arm comprised of arms 111a and 1111). Both limit switches are connected in circuit relation with the crane actuating motor 31 and the carriage actuating motor 45. The limit switch 110 also is connected in circuit relation with the reversible gear motor 100 which rotates the blower unit 50.

A plurality of limit switches 112-115 are mounted in spaced relation along the length of the crane 26, there being one limit switch in alignment with each row of looms traversed by the cleaning apparatus. These limit switches are in circuit relation with the carriage drive motor 45 and are adapted to stop the carriage on the crane when the carriage is over a particular row of looms. Taking FIGS. 1 and 9 in conjunction, the illustrated arrangement is such that the limit switch 112 stops the carriage over the row of looms 20, the switch 113 stops the carriage over the row 21, the switch 114 stops the carriage over the row 22, and the switch 115 stops the carriage over the row 23. The arms of the switches 112-115 are actuated by a cam 116 mounted at one side of the carriage 40. The arms of the limit switches 112 and 113 are adapted to be contacted to stop the carriage motor 45 when the carriage is moved to the left on the crane (as viewed in FIG. 9), while the arms of the limit switches 114 and 115 are adapted to be contacted to stop the carriage motor 45 when the carriage is moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 9.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, a pair of limit switches 120 and 121 are mounted on the carriage 40 adjacent to and on opposite sides of the shaft 52. These limit switches are in circuit relation with the reversible gear motor 100. The limit switch 120 is actuatable to stop the rotation of the shaft 52 in one direction and the limit switch 121 is actuatable to stop rotation of the shaft 52 in the opposite direction. In order to actuate the limit switches 120 and 121, a laterally extending plate 122 having depending stops 123 and 124 near its end is secured to the top of the shaft 52 and is rotatable therewith. The stop 123 is positioned to contact the vertically extending trip arm of the limit switch 120- and the stop 124 is positioned to contact the vertically extending trip arm of the limit switch 121.

The crane limit switch is contacted by a stop 125 when the crane is at a predetermined position on its runway and the limit switch 111 is contacted by a stop 126 when the crane is at another predetermined position on its runway. The stops 125, 126 may be mounted on one of the runway rails 27. With the crane 26 and the carriage 40 in the solid line positions of FIG. 9, the crane motor 31 is actuated to propel the crane along the runway. As the crane reaches the position set by the stop 126, the trailing arm 111a of the switch 111 is contacted by the stop 126. This causes the fork arm of the limit switch 111 to rotate and dc-energize the crane motor 31. At the same time, the actuation of the limit switch 111 may be effective to energize the carriage motor 45 in order to drive the carriage 40 along the crane. The carriage is driven along the crane to the right as viewed in FIG. 9 until the cam 116 on the carriage 40 cont-acts the trip arm of the limit switch 114. The carriage motor 45 is then de-energized and the crane motor 31 is actuated to propel the crane back along the runway toward the stop 125. As the crane leaves the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 9, the stop 126 contacts the switch arm 11111 to rotate the switch arm and reset it for the next cycle.

When the crane again reaches the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 9, the trailing arm 11% of the limit switch 110 contacts the stop 125 to rotate the arm and de-energize the crane motor 31. Actuation of the switch 110 may serve to energize the carriage motor 45 to drive the carriage 40 toward the new position set by the limit switch 115. While the crane is stopped, the blower unit rotation motor 100 also may be energized to rotate the blower unit 50 approximately 180 until the stop 124 contacts the limit switch 121 to de-energize the motor 100. The blower unit 50 may be rotated during indexing movement of the carriage 40 or before or after such movement. When the carriage 40 reaches its new position on the crane, the cam 116 contacts the limit switch to stop the motor 45 and again energize the crane motor 31 to propel the carriage toward the opposite end of its runway. As the crane starts to move, the stop contacts the switch arm 110a and rotates the switch arm to re-set it for the next cycle.

The switch 111 is contacted to stop the crane and to energize the carriage drive motor 45. The drive motor propels the carriage 40 along the crane to the left as viewed in FIG. 9 until the cam 116 contacts the limit switch 113. When the limit switch 113 is contacted, the motor 45 is de-energized and the crane motor 31 is energized to return the crane along its runway to the stop 125 which contacts the limit switch 110 to stop the crane drive motor 3 1 and energize the motor 45. The blower unit rotation motor 100 also may be energized at this time to again rotate the blower unit 50 until the stop 123 contacts the limit switch 120 to de-energize the rotation motor. The carriage moves along the crane until the cam 116 contacts the limit switch 112 which stops the carriage drive motor to complete one entire cycle of operations.

The cleaning apparatus 25 also may include a ceiling cleaning fan unit 130' for removing lint from overhead beams and other structure. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ceiling cleaning unit 130 includes a fan housing 131 which is mounted above the carriage 40 by members 132 that extend from the carriage side channels 41. The housing 131 has an upper outlet 133 and a fan 134 is disposed within the housing for creating a stream of air. The fan 134 is driven by a motor 135.

The operation of the apparatus 25 will be largely apparent from the foregoing description. In summary, the crane 40 is started on the runway 27 as shown in FIG. 1 with the carriage 40 indexed on the crane into alignment with the row of looms 20. The blower unit 50 is positioned so that the fans 64a will pass over the fronts A of the looms .10 in the row 20 and so that the blowers 64b will pass over the backs B of the looms in the row 20. As the crane is propelled toward the opposite end of the runway, some or all of the blowers 64 are oscillated to effect the desired cleaning action.

When the crane 26 reaches the broken line position of FIG. 1, the crane is stopped and the carriage 40 may be moved along the crane until it is in alignment with the row of looms 22. Rotation of the blower unit 50 is not required, since the looms in the row 22 are oriented in the same direction as the looms in the row 20. Thus, when the crane movement is reversed to return it to the starting end of the runway, the blowers 64a will pass over the fronts A of the looms in row 22 and the blowers 64b will pass over the backs B of the looms in row 22.

When the reverse movement of the crane 26 is stopped, the carriage 40 is moved along the crane to a new position in alignment with the row of looms 23. At the same time, the blower unit may be rotated so that the blowers 64a will pass over the fronts A of the looms in row 23 and the blowers 64b will pass over the backs B of the looms in row 23. The crane is then actuated toward the opposite end of the runway and some or all of the blowers are oscillated to clean the looms in row 23 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. As the crane is stopped, the carriage is moved along the crane into alignment with the row of looms 21. Rotation of the blower unit is not required, since the looms in row 21 are oriented in the same direction as the looms in row 23. The crane is then actuated along the runway to clean the looms in row 21. Finally, the carriage is moved to be in alignment with the row 20 and the blower unit 50 is again rotated so that the blowers 64 are in the proper position for the new cleaning cycle.

During the cycle of operations described above, the ceiling cleaning blower 130 may be continuously operated to remove lint from walls, lights, piping, beams and the like above the crane.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the invention achieves the objective of providing a loom cleaning apparatus and method adapted to remove lint from a plurality of rows of looms in the optimum manner. With the present invention, it is possible to provide a plurality of sets of blowers which are adjusted to clean specific areas of the looms. Since the blower unit is rotatable on the crane, the same sets of blowers will always be over the same areas of the looms even though the carriage is indexed from row to row.

Many modifications and variations of the described apparatus and its operation will be apparent. As previously mentioned, a plurality of cranes can be mounted for travel along a runway and more than one carriage can be mounted on a single crane. In the case of multiple carriages, the carriages can be individually operated in the manner described or they can be connected together by a drawbar or the like and operated through a single gear and rack. With regard to the operation of the apparatus, it is possible to stop the crane in any desired position along the runway and to index the carriage to a new location. Further, the pattern of indexing movement of the carriage and the times and locations of rotating the blower unit can be widely varied to suit any arrangement and numbers of rows of looms.

Many other modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of cleaning lint from looms arranged in a plurality of rows comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a crane extending transversely of said rows and supporting first and second air blowers,

(b) positioning said first blower for movement over the front portions of the looms in a first row,

(c) positioning said second blower for movement over the back portions of the looms in said first row,

((1) concurrently moving both blowers along said first row, while actuating said first and second blowers to blow air down onto the front and back portions, respectively, of the looms in said first row,

(e) indexing said blowers along said crane transversely of said rows into alignment with a second row of looms wherein the looms are oppositely disposed relative to the looms in said first row,

(f) repositioning said blowers subsequent to movement along said first row by rotating said blowers degrees about a generally vertical axis so that said first blower is aligned with the front portions of the looms in said second row and said second blower is aligned with the back portions of the looms in said second row,

(g) and, thereafter, concurrently moving both blowers along said second row, while actuating said first and second blowers to blow air down on the front and back portions, respectively, of the looms in said second row.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of oscillating both blowers during movement along said rows.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blowers are repositioned by rotating them about said axis subsequent to said indexing.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of:

(h) indexing both blowers from alignment with said second row into alignment with a third row wherein the front and back portions of the looms are oriented in the same directions as in said second row,

(i) and concurrently moving both blowers along said third row, while actuating said first and second blowers to blow air down on the front and back portions, respectively, of the looms in said third row.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,410 5/1932 Smith 15312 2,183,758 12/1939 Walker 15312 2,695,039 11/1954 Holtzclaw 15--312 XR 2,798,825 7/1957 Miller et al. 13437 2,812,251 11/1957 Miller et al 15-312 2,981,644 4/1961 Fain 13437 3,011,203 12/1961 Holtzclaw 15312 3,112,601 12/1963 McCullough 15312 3,153,803 10/1964 Bahnson 15312 3,304,571 2/1967 Black 15-312 3,376,596 4/1968 Duncan 15--312 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner. I. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner.

US Cl. X.R. 134-2l; 15312 

1. A METHOD OF CLEANING LINT FROM LOOMS ARRANGED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) PROVIDING A CRANE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ROWS AND SUPPORTING FIRST AND SECOND AIR BLOWERS, (B) POSITIONING SAID FIRST BLOWER FOR MOVEMENT OVER THE FRONT PORTIONS OF THE LOOMS IN A FIRST ROW, (C) POSITIONING SAID SECOND BLOWER FOR MOVEMENT OVER THE BACK PORTIONS OF THE LOOMS IN SAID FIRST ROW, (D) CONCURRENTLY MOVING BVOTH BLOWERS ALONG SAID FIRST ROW, WHILE ACTUATING SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLOWERS TO BLOW AIR DOWN ONTO THE FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE LOOMS IN SAID FIRST ROW, (E) INDEXING SAID BLOWERS ALONG SAID CRANE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ROWS INTO ALIGNMENT WITH A SECOND ROW OF LOOMS WHEREIN THE LOOMS ARE OPPOSITELY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO THE LOOMS IN SAID FIRST ROW, (F) REPOSITIONING SAID BLOWERS SUBSEQUENT TO MOVEMENT ALONG SAID FIRST ROW BY ROTATING SAID BLOWERS 180 DEGREES ABOUT A GENERALLY VERTICAL AXIS SO THAT SAID FIRST BLOWER IS ALIGNED WITH THE FRONT PORTIONS OF THE LOOMS IN SAID SECOND ROW AND SAID SECOND BLOWER IS ALIGNED WITH THE BACK PORTIONS OF THE LOOMS IN SAID SECOND ROW, (G) AND, THEREAFTER, CONCURRENTLY MOVING BOTH BLOWERS ALONG SAID SECOND ROW, WHILE ACTUATING SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLOWERS TO BLOW AIR DOWN ON THE FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE LOOMS IN SAID SECOND ROW. 